More Pinoys in Egypt want to go home as tension rises

More Filipinos in Egypt have asked to be repatriated as the peace and order situation in that country worsened with the violent clashes between the supporters and detractors of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. At a meeting on Thursday, Philippine officials assured Filipino community leaders in Egypt that contingency measures have been put in place. Philippine Embassy to Egypt Vice Consul Querubin Lacay said they also reminded the Filipino community to remain calm despite the worsening situation. “Ang sitwasyon kasi, meron talagang gustong makabalik dahil malapit sa pinangyayarihan ng gulo, naintindihan namin yan (There are Filipinos who want to go home because they live near areas where there is tension so we understand that)," Lacay said in a radio interview. "Nguni’t marami rin ang pinag-iisipan nila kung paano ang maging kabuhayan nila kung maapektuhan ang trabaho nila rito. So meron silang ginagawang pagtitimbang ng priorities nila," he added. (However, there are others who are thinking about how their livelihood will be affected, so they are weighing their priorities.) Meanwhile, she said, there are Filipinos who have decided to stay for now because the violence is not yet widespread. Lacay said the Philippine Embassy in Egypt is validating the calls of the Filipinos who expressed interest in being repatriated. “Vina-validate ito ng mga tawag ng mga Pilipino na gustong magpalikas kung sakaling kailanganin po (We are validating and processing the requests of the Filipinos who wanted to be repatriated)," she said. Lacay also appealed to the Filipinos’ families in the Philippines not to panic and advised them to try contacting their relatives through the Internet or mobile phones. “Maganda na ngayon na-restore ang phone lines at Internet, maganda na they try to get in touch with their families para makausap nila at malaman ano ang sitwasyon ng kamaganak nila rito, at panalangin huwag gumrabe ang sitwasyon," she said. (It is good that phone lines and Internet services have been restored. It will be good if they try to get in touch with their loved ones and learn firsthand the situation. And they should pray that the situation will not get worse.) On Wednesday, violence in Egypt grew worse as Mubarak’s backers threw petrol bombs, wielded sticks, and charged at demonstrators in Cairo on horses and camels. In turn, anti-Mubarak protesters hurled stones and claimed that the attackers were police in plain clothes. Tear gas and gunshots were fired to quell confrontational crowds. State-run Nile TV flashed a warning ordering people to adhere to a government-imposed curfew and stay away from Tahrir Square. However, many ignored the warning. – VVP/HS GMANews.TV